| Revision as of 17:37, 2 May 2011 editLovelyLillith (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,582 editsm -Johnsen - she is not a "classic" groupie, she was active in the mid '80's and following← Previous edit | Revision as of 20:01, 4 May 2011 edit undo209.129.16.5 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → | ||
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| A '''groupie''' is a person who seeks emotional and sexual ] with a ] or other ]. "Groupie" is derived from ''group'' in reference to a ],<ref> ''Merriam Webster Online Dictionary''</ref> but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation. | A '''groupie''' is a person who seeks emotional and sexual ] with a ] or other ]. "Groupie" is derived from ''group'' in reference to a ],<ref> ''Merriam Webster Online Dictionary''</ref> but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation. | ||
| Female groupies in particular have a long-standing reputation of being available to celebrities, pop stars, rock stars and other public figures. ] singer ] is quoted as distinguishing between fans who wanted ] sexual encounters, and "groupies" who traveled with musicians for extended periods of time, acting as a surrogate ] or ], often taking care of the musician's valuables, drugs, wardrobe, and social life.<ref>Davis, Stephen. ''Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga'' (1985)</ref> ], who became the partner of ] of ], is one such example; women adopting this role are sometimes referred to as "road wives." ] and ] ("Girls Together Outrageously"), with ], in particular, as de-facto spokeswoman, are probably the best known groupies of this type. | Female groupies in particular have a long-standing reputation of being available to celebrities, pop stars, rock stars and other public figures. ] singer ] is quoted as distinguishing between fans who wanted ] sexual encounters, and "groupies" who traveled with musicians for extended periods of time, acting as a surrogate ] or ], often taking care of the musician's valuables, drugs, wardrobe, and social life.<ref>Davis, Stephen. ''Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga'' (1985)</ref> ], who became the partner of ] of ], is one such example; women adopting this role are sometimes referred to as "road wives." ] and ] ("Girls Together Outrageously"), with ], in particular, as de-facto spokeswoman, are probably the best known groupies of this type. Another type of groupie were the young teenage girls who dominated the backstage scene in the seventies, sometimes referred to as the ] by certain musicians. These girls started going backstage when they were fourteen years old and set a precedent at the time. The best known of this group was ], ] and ] who was the inspiration for Penny Lane in Almost Famous. | ||
| Des Barres, who wrote two books detailing her experiences as a groupie – ''I'm With The Band'' (1987) and ''Take Another Little Piece of My Heart: A Groupie Grows Up'' (1993) – as well as another non-fiction book, ''Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon'', asserts that a groupie is to a rock band as ] was to ].<ref>'']'', on ]</ref> Her most recent book, ''Let's Spend the Night Together'' (2007), is a collection of wildly varied interviews with classic "old school" groupies including Catherine James, ], ], Dee Dee Keel, and Margaret Moser as well as modern groupies like ], Lexa Vonn and the Plastics. Des Barres, who married rock star-actor ], also persuaded cult actress ], rock muse ], actress ], and ], better known as ] to talk about their relationships with musicians. | Des Barres, who wrote two books detailing her experiences as a groupie – ''I'm With The Band'' (1987) and ''Take Another Little Piece of My Heart: A Groupie Grows Up'' (1993) – as well as another non-fiction book, ''Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon'', asserts that a groupie is to a rock band as ] was to ].<ref>'']'', on ]</ref> Her most recent book, ''Let's Spend the Night Together'' (2007), is a collection of wildly varied interviews with classic "old school" groupies including Catherine James, ], ], Dee Dee Keel, and Margaret Moser as well as modern groupies like ], Lexa Vonn and the Plastics. Des Barres, who married rock star-actor ], also persuaded cult actress ], rock muse ], actress ], and ], better known as ] to talk about their relationships with musicians. | ||
Revision as of 20:01, 4 May 2011
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A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation.
Female groupies in particular have a long-standing reputation of being available to celebrities, pop stars, rock stars and other public figures. Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant is quoted as distinguishing between fans who wanted brief sexual encounters, and "groupies" who traveled with musicians for extended periods of time, acting as a surrogate girlfriend or mother, often taking care of the musician's valuables, drugs, wardrobe, and social life. Nancy Spungen, who became the partner of Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols, is one such example; women adopting this role are sometimes referred to as "road wives." Cynthia Plaster Caster and The GTOs ("Girls Together Outrageously"), with Pamela Des Barres, in particular, as de-facto spokeswoman, are probably the best known groupies of this type. Another type of groupie were the young teenage girls who dominated the backstage scene in the seventies, sometimes referred to as the "Baby Groupies" by certain musicians. These girls started going backstage when they were fourteen years old and set a precedent at the time. The best known of this group was Sable Starr , Lori Maddox and Geraldine Edwards who was the inspiration for Penny Lane in Almost Famous.
Des Barres, who wrote two books detailing her experiences as a groupie – I'm With The Band (1987) and Take Another Little Piece of My Heart: A Groupie Grows Up (1993) – as well as another non-fiction book, Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon, asserts that a groupie is to a rock band as Mary Magdalene was to Jesus. Her most recent book, Let's Spend the Night Together (2007), is a collection of wildly varied interviews with classic "old school" groupies including Catherine James, Connie Hamzy, Cherry Vanilla, Dee Dee Keel, and Margaret Moser as well as modern groupies like Mandy Murders, Lexa Vonn and the Plastics. Des Barres, who married rock star-actor Michael Des Barres, also persuaded cult actress Tura Satana, rock muse Bebe Buell, actress Patti D'Arbanville, and Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark to talk about their relationships with musicians.
According to Des Barres' book, there is at least one verified male groupie, Pleather, who followed female celebrities such as Courtney Love and members of the 80s pop group The Bangles.
"Apple Scruffs", from George Harrison's album All Things Must Pass, refers to the Apple scruffs, a group of teenage girls who staked out The Beatles' Apple Corps offices, Abbey Road Studios, and Paul McCartney's home, often sleeping outside in rough weather, waiting for a glimpse of a Beatle. The Beatles' song "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" refers to the day a few Scruffs climbed into Paul McCartney's house through an upstairs bathroom window and raided his closet for a pair of trousers, which they took turns wearing. They also took a framed photograph, which they later returned at McCartney's request. The movie Almost Famous revolves around the life of groupies (although they call themselves 'band aids' in the film).
Michael Jackson was known to say that his number 1 hit song Dirty Diana was written about a groupie.
Notes
- "Groupie" Merriam Webster Online Dictionary
- Davis, Stephen. Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga (1985)
- Publishers Weekly, Review of Let's Spend the Night Together on Amazon.com
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRV_zpRiyqc
External links
- Tales of a Rock-Star Love Affair: Slash's Wife Talks Groupie Antics, Finding Hubby in Rolling Stone
- Lust for Life: Memoirs of an Unrepentant Groupie by Margaret Moser
- USA Today Article about firefighter and police groupies after 9/11/01